The Olympic season has brought a lot of track events to the community, and it will bring even more action in the weeks to come. The expectations are that there will be a lot of stat changes, and athletes will reach new heights. Rodney A. Green recently told Justin Gatlin on the Ready Set Go podcast that the four-time world champion was the last American to win the gold medal in the 100-meter sprint at the Olympic Games.
This took him entirely by surprise because he hadn’t thought about it before. The Bahamian sprinter also reminded Gatlin of Shawn Crawford’s gold medal in the 200-meter race at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
The two track titans’ research proceeded, and they stated that this is a one-of-a-kind feat that athletes like Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, Fred Kerley, Courtney Lindsey, and many more Americans are pursuing, which has been unchanged for exactly 20 years.
Green also recalls being astonished while reviewing these statistics, saying:
“It can be because ’08 was Bolt, ’12 was Bolt, ’16 was Bolt, and then ’21 was Marcell…and then you go back to the 200, you have Bolt, Bolt, Bolt, and then de Grasse.”
Gatlin and Green chuckle as they discuss what is at stake for American athletes at the upcoming Olympics. Aside from all of those competing in the coveted event, the track icons were quite convinced that Lyles would win the shiny accolade in both categories, as he has the mindset to demolish his competitors.
Just like the current generation of athletes, Gatlin has always been competitive in the sport during his time, and the motivation that comes with a large track meet is what propelled him to once defeat Usain Bolt.
Justin Gatlin at the 2017 World Championships
Whenever Justin Gatlin competed against Usain Bolt in a race, whether it was the 100 or 200 meters, the Jamaican consistently outperformed the American owing to his mind games. The eight-time Olympic gold medalist remained fast in his final season in 2017, and he was a fan favorite heading into the World Championships 100-meter finals.
Gatlin recalls how the Jamaican athlete was welcomed by the audience; however, as the camera focused on Gatlin, he was promptly booed.
The American sprint star did not react much, but in his mind, he was well prepared to silence the crowd in the stadium with his performance, which he achieved by winning the 100-meter sprint at the World Championships, while Bolt tumbled down the stretch to finish third. And, after winning the race, Gatlin shushed 100,000 individuals while kneeling down to Bolt as a sign of respect between the two athletes.
